This invention relates to concrete wall forms and, more particularly, to a waler system for concrete wall forms.
The construction of walls with poured concrete normally involves the use of a form system which includes a pair of spaced generally parallel wall forms. Each wall form is constructed with a plurality of aligned panels and the wall forms define a space between them in which the concrete is poured and allowed to cure. The forces tending to separate the wall forms under the tremendous liquid pressure of newly deposited concrete is resisted by a series of tie rods extending between the wall forms and located at the juncture between the adjacent panels of each wall form.
Typically, each panel of each wall form includes a plywood, metal or similar material panel portion reinforced on a back face thereof by flanges extending along the side, top and bottom edges of the panel. The flanges along the side edges of each panel are arranged vertically and are commonly referred to as "studs". The studs or flanges include a plurality of holes which, when aligned with the holes in the flange of the adjacent panel, provide an aperture through which a pin is typically inserted to connect the adjacent panels together and construct the wall form. Commonly, the pin includes a slot through which a wedge is inserted to further secure the assembly.
The displacement of the wall forms as a result of the pressure and forces exerted by the poured concrete is resisted by horizontally extending walers which extend transversely across a plurality of panels on the back side of the wall form. Walers of this type are commonly used to reinforce the wall form against the forces exerted by the concrete and to maintain respective panels in proper alignment to avoid unwanted displacement or wavering in the wall form resulting from misalignment of the respective panels with each other.
The prior art includes numerous waler designs for securing and attaching the waler beams to the back surface of the wall form panels. However, known waler systems typically do not allow for convenient and effective installation of the waler beams to provide a sturdy and effective reinforcement and alignment of the wall form panels. Further, typically the waler systems do not provide for convenient and user friendly attachment and removal of those systems from the wall form panels. Very often each wall form utilizes at least two waler beams including an upper and a lower horizontally extending waler beam. Furthermore, each waler beam requires a plurality of clamps for attachment to the wall form panels. Therefore, the installation and removal of the waler system on a single wall panel can include dozens or more attachment devices. Therefore, the installation and removal of the waler system during the construction of a poured concrete wall can prove to be very time consuming and burdensome for the worker.
Therefore, a need exists in the industry for a waler system which is convenient and easy to install and remove from the wall form panels while still effectively reinforcing the wall forms and maintaining the alignment of the respective panels.